This week's #WhyWednesday is brought to you by CCChampions role model, PJ!

​"As a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh, I was lucky enough to meet with Sidney. Instantly I was blown away by the amazing organization he had started and knew I had to be a part of it. I soon met Bryce Johnson and made a deeper connection than I could have ever hoped for. By using sports to crush childhood cancer, CCChampions gave me a platform to connect with Bryce. CCChampions has meant so much more than just a friendship, Bryce became a little brother to me. From the hours we spent playing board games to the countless times he beat me in Madden, he showed me strength and courage to never ever give up, no matter how tough of a day it was. When we first started hanging out, Bryce was shy and reserved but by the time he was healthy enough he was running laps around us on the base paths. Bryce was quite the competitor, as he never took it easy on us during any of the games we played. Easily my favorite memory was when we had a home run derby in the hospital. Bryce crushed the ball all over the atrium, drawing loud cheers and bringing a smile to everyone’s face. I was so glad to have been such a small part of his battle, but he became a huge part of my career and life. CCChampions gave me more than an opportunity to give back, it gave me a friendship for life!"

Izzy- "During my sophomore year of college, I was looking for a new club to join when I stumbled upon the Pitt CCChampions club. After one year as a member, I became vice president of the club where I had the opportunity to work closely with Sidney and his team to plan fundraisers and events for some of the kids in CCChampions. I was also given the opportunity to be a Little Champs volunteer, where I met my friend Avery. I would visit Avery at CHP each week where we would have a blast playing games and making crafts together. Having the opportunity to be a part of some of the amazing things that CCChampions does for the kids really sparked my interest in doing more for the organization, which is when I decided to apply for the Friendship Assistant internship. One of my favorite things about working with CCChampions was that my role allowed me to watch our friendships grow. I would see pictures and hear the story of how each kid met their role model, and then I had the opportunity to follow the friendships as they grew and to see each of the special moments that we made possible for the kids. Although my time as a Friendship Assistant has come to an end, I am so grateful to continue to be a part of the CCChampions family and to watch the friendships continue to grow!"